Relação entre os atributos sensoriais com a região, altitude e pós-colheita de cafés especiais

Abstract

The international market is increasingly demanding, seeking high quality coffees, appreciating the sensorial attributes of the drink. As a result, the productive sector in Brazil has been expanding its activities in the specialty coffee market. Defining coffee quality attributes is somewhat complex, since it includes local characteristics such as altitude, temperature, humidity and rainfall index from which the crop is planted. Simultaneously with the local characteristics, post-harvest factors such as the processing method and the type of drying are also responsible for the variation of the quality of the coffee beverage. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relation between coffee regions, altitude and post-harvest with the sensorial attributes of special coffees participating in the 2017 Coffee of the Year contest. The sensorial attributes final note and remaining taste were the ones that contributed the most to differentiate the samples of specialty coffees. The coffee produced in the region of Matas de Minas and Caparaó were the ones that received the highest scores for the sensorial attributes studied. Cafés produced at altitudes above 1400 meters showed a strong correlation with all sensory attributes, except with fragrance. The demucilated / pulped cherry processing and suspended terrarium drying were the ones that provided coffees with higher scores for most of the sensory attributes. The region influenced only the flavor characteristics of the coffees and altitude was the factor that contributed the most to the production of coffees with characteristic flavors or flavors.